Cellulosic composition of matter containing benzyl aniline



Patented Oct. 4, 1932 o FrcE f THOMAS-EF.-MURRAY, JR.,:ANZD oYRILJZfiE-AUD, 0 RooREsrER, NEW YORK, AssreNoRs 'ro EASTMAN -:KODA'K-coma-ANY, 'oRRooHEsmER, NEW YoRK, A CORPORATION or I'YORK s cRLLrrLosrccomrosirron or MATTER oonrAmmaBENzYL ANILINE Nd Drawin g.

" This inventionrelates to compositions of matter in which cellulosederivatives,- such as cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, or celluloseether, are combined or mixed withother substances, such as a compatibleplasticizer, and a common solventfor both, with or without other usefuladditionagents, so'that the resulting product will have'propertiessuchas will make the composition highly advantageous for use in theplastic and analogous arts,'such,ifor instance, as the manufacture ofwrapping sheets, photographic film, artificial silk, varnishes orlacquers,and' the like.

One obj ectofpthis invention is to produce a composition of matterwhichmayi'be made into permanently transparent, strong :and flexible.sheetsuor films ofdesire'd thinness which-are substantially waterproof,are unaffected by ordinary photographic fluids and possess the desiredproperties of a support for sensitive photographic coatings. Anotherobject of our invention is to produce a composition which is capable ofeasy and convenient manipulation in the plastic and analogous arts, suchas in the manufacture of sheets, films, artificial silk filaments,varnishes, lacquers and the like, and to produce a composition whichwill not injure, or be injured by, the substances or surfaces with whichit is associated during manufacture. Other objects will become apparentto those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. 7

While cellulose acetates, nitrates and others have been known fordecades it has also been known that to utilize them in the variousplastic arts it is necessary to mix therewith such plasticizing orconditioning agents 7 as camphor, castor oil, triphenyl phosphate,

monochlornaphthalene or the like. Certain of these and other additionagents are also added for the purpose of reducing the inflammability ofthe product. Plastic inducing agents, such as the higher alcohols andtheir esters, are sometimes also added. Similarly, addition compounds ofvarious kinds have been employed to increase flexibility, trans- Iparency, toughness and other properties which will enhance the value ofthe resulting product. Addition products for the same or ApplicationfiledSeptember' 12,31930. {Serial No; 481,585.

sim-ila-npurposes are also added to cellulose acetates,'nitrates andethers to prepare them for use in the other plastic arts, such as inthe'manufacture of lacquers, varnishes, artificial Sllk' filaments, mouldedcompounds and the 1 like. -While the plasticizers or otheraddition;agentsheretofore discovered 'have had theirutility' in the art,the increasing use to which cellulose derivatives have been put and theincreasing number of desirable propertiesrequired of the cellulosederivatives for most purposes has made the discovery of newand-economical plasticizers or'other addition agentsamatter ofconsiderable importance to thezart. v v

sWehave discovered that valuable propertiesimay:beinduced'in and/orcontributed to compositions containing cellulose v derivatives,: such ascellulose acetate, by adding thereto the plasticizing compound benzyl'aniline; together with -a;.solvent,- such as acetone which will dissolveboth'thecellulose derivative and plasticizer. This plasticizer has; the-structural formula Itis-compatible with cellulose derivatives sheetsour new composition of matter may be compounded as follows 100 parts ofacetone soluble cellulose acetateai. e. cellulose acetate containingfrom 38% to 42% acetyl radical, approximately, is dissolved withstirring at atmospheric" temperature in'300 to 500 *parts, preferably400 parts, by weight, of acetone. "To this solution may beaddedfroin 10to 50 parts by weight, of benzyl' aniline,

it being found preferable to employ approximately'30 to 40 partsthereof. 'Within the i described may be deposited upon any suitable filmforming surface to form a film or. sheet, as is well known to'thoseskilled in the art. A film so produced has permanently brilliant qtransparency and low inflammability, burnmg no more readily thanordinary newsprint. Such film is exceedingly tough and V flexible, asshown by the fact that it will withstand many folds upon a modifiedSchopper foldtester (commonly used for such purposes) without breakingand that even after being subjected for a considerable number of days toair maintained at; a temperature of 65 C. the filmstill maintainsflexibility (in contrast to almost complete lack of flexibility where noplasticizer' is used) demonstrating that the film will v vithstandordinary usage satisfactorily for many years. The sum total of the aboveadvantageous properties of a product produced from our new compositionis considerably in'excess of that of products produced with what havepreviously been regarded as the better plasticizers; I Other similarsolvents (instead of acetone which are compatible with the celluloseacetate and our newplasticizer may also occur to those skilled in thisart. Inlike manner this plasticizer may be compounded with other singleorganic esters of cellulose, such as cellulose propionate, butyrate andthe like, or with mixed organic and/or inorganic esters, such ascellulose aceto-stearate, acetomalate, or cellulose nitro-acetate, orwith cellulose nitrate, or with the cellulose ethers, a

suitablesolvent which will dissolve both the cellulosic derivative andthe plasticizer being employed. a

'Inasmuch as our above described composition of matter is quite usefulin the production'of films and sheets it will be apparent that our newplasticizer may also be employed, with advantage in the other branchesof the plastic art. For instance, our above described composition ofmatter may be employed in the manufacture of artificial silk, by the dryspinning method. With the proper coagulating bath it may also beemployed for wet spinning. It maybe desired to employ a composition ofdifferent viscosity or evaporation characteristics butthis is a merematter of changing the solvent proportion oraddingevaporation retardentsor other high'or intermediate boiling constituents', as has been wellknown in the art for more than a decade; Our novel. plasticizer only tosuch an extent as will not precipi tate thederivative from solution.Also the plasticizer is usually employed -'in larger amounts, such asfrom 50 to 60 parts, in compounding lacquers. "Other uses within thescope of our invention will also suggest them? selves to those skilledin the art and are to be included within .the'scope of theclaimsappended hereto. V Whatwe claim as our invention, and desire.tobesecured by Letters Patent of the United States, is z V 1. Acomposition of-matter comprising a cellulose derivativeand benzylaniline.

2; A composition of matter comprising cellulose acetate and benzylaniline.

3. composition of matter comprising 100 parts cellulose acetate and fromabout 10 to 60 parts, by weight, of benzyl-aniline.

4. A composition of matter comprising 100 parts of cellulose acetateandapproximately 30 to 50 parts, by Weight, of benzyl aniline.

, Signed at Rochester, New York this 5th day of'September, 1930.

' THOMAS. F. MURRAY, JR. CYRIL J. STAUD.

